Rolling-mill.



No.- 729,559. PATENTED JUNE 2,1903'.-

/ v.- E; EDWARDS. f

ROLLING MILL.

APPLIQATION FILED nso, 2a. 169s.

xojuonm.. a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Tvs wma PETERS co PHoTo-LrmmwAsHmGTOm n. c.

Y PATLNTLD JUNE z, 190s.

v. L. EDWARDS. ROLLING MILL. APLIOATION'FILBD DEO. 23. 1898.

s SHEETS-SHEET z.

N0` MODEL.

www 27%5.

No 729,559. `PATENTEI) JUNE 2,1903.

v. r:.'E Dv v.1@\R1)s.- ROLLING MILL'. Brummen funn Dnc. 23; issu.

)I0 IDEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

y 'y FZ5. 5v

To-Ln'no.. wAsnlNGToN. n4 c.

NITED STATES i Patented June 2, 1903;

PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR EDWARDS, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSICNOR To TI-IE MORGAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, or WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS Y. Y

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Paten-c No. 729,559, dated .rane 2, 190e. Application filed December Z3, 1898. Serial No. '700.186, (No model.)`

To @ZZ whom t may concern: Y Be it known that I, VICTORE. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States; Vre'silin'g at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have inventedanew and useful Im provementin Rolling-Mills, of which the following is aspecification accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, and in which Figure l is a planview of a rolling-mill embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of that portion of the rolling mill known as the finishing-mill, comprising two sets of two-high rolls with intermediate I5 connecting mechanism comprising a pinion;v

housing and a train of gearing. Fig. 3 is a Vertical central sectional view of the pinionhousing and gearing. Fig. 4 is an end view of the same. l Fig. 5 is an end view of the pin-p zo ion-housing With the pinions and journalbearings removed. Fig. 6 is a top view of a f:

finishing-mill having a greater number ofi pairs of rolls, with a rod passing successively` through the Several pairs of rolls. Fig. 7 is z 5 a plan view of a rolling-mill representing more in detail the method of carrying my invention into practice and comprises an aI-, rangement Of two-high stands of rolls similar, t-o thatshown in diagrammatieview in Fig. 6 3o by one of the trains N'orN, and I have added, to Fig. 7 devices for conducting a rod or bar alternately from a pair of rolls running in one direction to a pair of rolls running in the opposite direction. Fig.8 is a front elevation of the rolls shown in plan view in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9 9, Fig. 7, and Fig. lO is a'sectional view on line 10 10, Fig. 7. *A

Similar reference letters and gures refer to 4o similar parts inthe d-lferent views.

My inventionrelates to that portion of a rolling-mill known Yas the finishing-milk and it consists in the arrangement of two or more trains of rolls of different'diameters with parallel axes, but placed out of alinement with each other, whereb)7 the metal to be rolled is conducted from one to the other in a series of intervening loops, and each of the trains can be conveniently driven from the same Y in the novel features of arrangement and conl,lower roll and the pair H also consists of an and the second train of rollsE are driven at source of power at different speeds corre- 5o z spending to the reduction of-metal in the several trains of rolls, and it further consists in the arrangement of the rolls in each train with intermediate connecting mechanism and struction, as hereinafter described, and set forth in the annexed claims'.`

Referringto theV drawings, A denotes a train of rolls forming what is known `as a continuous rolling-mill, by which a heated billet is taken from the'furnace, reduced in cross-section, Vand delivered from the last pair of rolls througha tube B or suitable con` ductor toagpointpslightly beyond the rolls C of the finishing-mill, and from the end of the tube B the rod a is conducted in a semicircular loop to the rolls Oor the first pair of rolls in the first series of rolls constituting the finishing-mill.

The finishing-mill comprises inv thev pres- Ljc:

Vent instancejtwoA trains ofv rolls lD and E.

The train'Dcomprises two pairs of rolls C and F and the i train E comprises two pairs of rolls G and H. Thepairiofz-rolls C consists of the upper roll c and `the Vlower roll c and the pair of rolls F consists ofthe upper roll f and lower rollfQco'mp'rising the train D. The pair of rolls Gr` similarly consistsof an upper roll and 8o upper roll and lower roll, com'prisin g the second train E. The rolls in the first train D are driven at a uniform angular velocity by means of the belt-pulleys I and J and belt J 8s aruniform but a'higher angular velocity by means ofthe pulleys I and J2 and belt J3.

The pairs of rolls Fand H are larger in diameter than their connected pairs C and G, and therefore have a greater circumferential speed. For example, the rolls in the pairs C and G are nine inches in diameter and the rolls in the pairs F and H are twelve inches in diameter. Power is imparted to the rolls in the'rst train D by means of a shaft K,

the shaft of the upper roll c. Intermediate between the pairs of rolls C and F is a pin- Qs carrying the belt-pulley J and coupled with f ion-housing L, containing the pinion-shafts L', L2, and L2, placed one above the other, with the shafts L and L2 connected by nineineh pinions h and h and the shafts L2 and L3 connected by t'he twelve-inch pinions i, i', 2, and i3.

The lower pinion-shaft L is in alinement with the shaft of the lower roll c', the upper pinion-shaft L2 is in alinement with the shaft of the upper rollf, and the middle pinion-shaft L2 is in alinement with the shafts ofthe upper roll c and lower` rollf onvopposite sides of the pinion-housing. The pinionhousing L consists of a pair of upright posts j and jupon each side of the housing, inclosing the vertical slotj2 sniciently wide to receive the journals ot' the pinion-shafts. The vertical posts jj are provided on opposite sides of the slot l7'2 with recesses j, adapted to receive the annular journal-bearings j of the pinion-shafts.

Each of the pinion-shafts is journaled in annular journalbearings ji, provided with earsjs, which overlap the postsjj' and are attached thereto by boltsj. The pinion-housing is stiiened by the bolts 7c, connecting the upper ends of the vertical postsjj'.

The pinions are readily removed from their housing by withdrawing the annularjournalboxes from the ends of the pinion-shafts, removing the bolts k, and lifting the pinionshafts out of the vertical slotsj2. The specific construction of the pinion-housing, as both described and illustrated in the drawings, is not herein claimed, said improvement in the pinion-housing forming the subjectmatter of a copending divisional application, Iiled February 4, 1903, Serial No. 141,818.

The rod a is conducted successively through the pairs of rolls C, F, G, and H, forming semicircular loops between each tw'o pairs of rolls, which allow for any diierence in the speed of the rod as it passes through the several pairs of rolls. As the rod passes to each pair of rolls C, F, G, andA H successively, its length is increased by the reduction of the rod in cross section, and this increase in length is taken up between the rolls C and F and the rolls G and II by the increased circumferential speed due to the greater diameter of the rolls F and ll, and the increase in the length of the rod between the rolls F and G is taken up by the increased angular velocity of the driving-shaft'K, by which the rolls G and H are driven.

I have described a finishing-mill comprising two trains of rolls independently driven at dilerent velocities and used in connection with the train of a continuous rollingmill for the purpose ot finishing the rod after its reduction by the continuous mill; but I do not confine myself to the employment of the above-described Iinishing-mill in connection with the continuous mill, as it is obvious that the metal may be taken directly from a furnace and passed through the rolls of the finishing-mill, neither do I confine myself to the use of a single pair of rolls upon opposite sides of the pinion-housing, as the train may be increased by the employment of two or more pairs of rolls upon each side of the pinion-housing and the rod conducted in a circuit from one side to the other of the pinion-housing until it has passed successively through each pair of rolls in the train, when it may be conducted to a second similar train', as represented in Fig. 6, where I have shown two trains of rolls N and N', each comprising six pairs of rolls, with three pairs, 1, 3, and 5, running in one direction, and three pairs, 2, 4, and 6, in the opposite direction, with the rolls running in one direction connected with those running in the opposite direction by a stand of three-high pinions, as already described, and journaled in pinion-housings M M', as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The rod b is passed between the pair of rolls l and conducted in a semicircular loop 7 to the opposite side of the pinionhousing and passed between the pair of rolls 2. From the rolls 2 itis conducted in asemicircular loop 8 to the pair of rolls 3, and in similar loops 9, 10, and 11 successively between the pairs of rolls 4, 5, and 6, the semicircular loops 7, 8, 9,10, and 11 forming approximately a spiral between the points of initial entrance and final exit of the rod b from the train of rolls. As the rod leaves the roll 6 it may be out up or, if desired,conducted to the train N and the operation repeated, as indicated by the spiral line 12.

The above-described arrangement of rolls is especially adapted to the continuous rolling of a rod in a circuit as the line of motion ofthe rod. As it enters, each pair of rolls is parallel with its line of motion as it leaves the preceding pair of rolls, making the loops between the passes substantially semicircular with the parallel lines of motion as the rod Aenters and leaves the mill tangential to the semicircular loop, whose curvature remains substantially constant, thereby preventing the trickling or irregular bending of the heated rod, and the entire process is completed by the use of stands of two-high rolls only.

The arrangements of the rolls shown in the trains N and N are in the present instance duplicates; but the relative size or speed of the rolls can be varied as desired or one of the trains can be omitted. The arrangement of the several pairs of rollsin the train N for the formation of the semicircular loops on opposite sides of the rolls allows all the pairs of rolls to be operative. Each pair of rolls is provided with an operative pass adapted to act in the continued reduction of the rod, and the several consecutive passes are arranged in alternation on opposite sides of a center line at right angles to the axes of the rolls and between the series of rolls relatively to the consecutive passes of the rolls, which loo I) OSSGSSQS Fig. 6, with the train divided into two sets or series N2 and N2, with the rolls in the series N2 running in one direction and the rolls in the series N3 running in the opposite direction, with the consecutive passes or grooves in the rolls alternating from one series to the other or from a set of rolls running in one direction to a set running in the opposite direction. Power is imparted directly to the series of rolls N2 from an engine by means of the belt-pulley P, and power is imparted to the second series of rolls N3 by a three-high pinion-housing Q, thereby causing the rolls in the series N3 to be rotated in the opposite direction in the series ot' rolls N2. In order to show more clearly the movement of a rod or bar fromone pass to the next consecutive pass in the rolls, I have shown the passes in the several pairs ofv rolls as connected by repeaters O, which are of the usual Vform of construction employed in rolling-mills, and consist of curved guides for the rod or bar,

1 substantially like those illustrated in Fig. l

`said intervening stand.

of the drawings of the United States patent granted to S. V. l-Iuber February 25, 1896, No. 555,375. Said repeaters O, however, form no part of my present invention and are shown in Figs. 7 to 10 in order to indicate more clearly the arrangement of consecutive passes, by which I am enabled to avoid the use of three-high stands of rolls in a finish# ing-mill and also the-n ecessity of transmitting power from one stand ol' rolls to another stand across an intervening stand'of rolls by means of a shaft journaled in the intervening stand and passing either above or below the rolls in I thereby secure a great advantage in rolling-mill construction, especially in that portion known as the iinishing-mill, as it enables the entire red uction of the rod to be accomplished by a series of pairs of rolls held in two-high roll-housing, having a space both above and below the pairs of rolls entirely free for roll-adj usting and rollsupporting devices, whereby a rigid and unyielding structure is secured, which is essential to accuracy of dimension in the finished product. Such stands of-two-high rolls are at present employed in finishing-mills as the last pair of rolls by which the final reduction is given to the rod or bar and its dimensions determined, and from the characteristic features of their construction they are usually denominated in rolling-mill parlance as bullheads. By myimprovement inthe construc-v tion of finishing-mills all the stands ofrolls are bull-heads, and consequently each yreduction of the rod is determined and carried into practice with exactness and accuracy.

VVhatI claim as my invention, and desire to securejby Letters Patent, is-

I. In a rolling-mill, the combination of a train of two pairs of rolls, eachofpsaid pairs of rolls having dierent diameters, pinions by which said pairs 'of rolls are connected, the rolls of each pair being connected by pinions of dierent diameters respectively, and with two pinions, one for each pair carried on the same shaft, substantially as described.

2. In a rolling-mill, the combination of al train of rolls comprising at least two pairs of rolls of different diameters',with the upper and lower rolls of each pair of the same diameter, pinions by which the rolls of each pair are connected, the rolls of each pair being connected Yby -pinions of different diameters respectively, and means for rotating both pairs of rolls at the same angular velocity.

3. The combination of two pairs of rolls G and F having different diameters, housings supporting each of said pairs of rolls, an intermediate housing, three pfinionfshafts jonrnaled in said intermediate housings, pinions shafts, two pinions carried by the middle of said pinion-shafts engaging the pinions of the upper and lower pinion-shafts respec; tively, the pinions ofthe upper and Ilower shafts and their engaging pinions being of different diameters, substantially as described.

4. A rolling-mill consisting of three or more pairs of operative rolls with their aXessubstantially parallel with at least two or more pairs of said operative rolls having consecutive passes placed in alternation on opposite sides of thethird pair of operativerolls, with Veach of said consecutive passes formed in independent 'pairs of rolls, whereby each pass is capable of independent adjustment, substantially as described.

5. A rolling-mill consisting of a series of three or more pairs of rolls provided with conysecutive passes for the continuous reduction of a rod and having the several series of rollsk v arranged to bring the consecutive passes in alternation on opposite sides of an operative pair of rolls constituting one end of said series, with each of said consecutive passes formed in independent pairs of rolls, whereby each pass is capable of independent adjustment, substantially as described.

6. A rolling-mill consisting of three or more two-high stands of rolls, each of said stands containing a pair of rolls having a pass for the. reduction of a rod, said pairs of rolls 'carried by the upper and lower of said pinion- 95 IIO being arranged in two trains or series with eral consecutive passes, substantially as described.

Dated this 15th day of December, 1898.

series, said rolls having their consecutive passes alternating from one train or series to the other, whereby the rod is taken through a pass in one train or series, then through a. VICTOR E. EDWARDS. pass in the other train or series, then back Witnesses: through the next consecutive pass in the first RUFUS B. FOWLER,

train or series, and so on through the sev- ELIZABETH GRAY. 

